Package stacking apparatus



July 11, 1967 E. 'r. REDA 3,330,425

PACKAGE STACKING APPARATUS Filed June 10, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 O mumINVENTOR AGENT July 11, 1967 REDA 3,330,425

PACKAGE STACKING APPARATUS Filed June 10, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR25777252 Zfiedg BY M 6'.

July 11, 1967 E. T; REDA 3,330,425

PACKAGE STACKING APPARATUS Filed June 10, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet TNVENTOREwz'ZZEeda AGErrr July 11, 1967 E. r. REDA PACKAGE STACKING APPARATUSFiled June 10, 1965 f 55 W, W T

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR gam. 9M

United States Patent 3,330,425 PACKAGE STACKING APPARATUS Emil T. Reda,Baltimore, MEL, assignor to Schluderherg- Kurdle Co., Inc., Baltimore,Md, a corporation of Maryland Filed June 10, 1965, Ser. No. 462,953 7(Ilaims. (Cl. 2146) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus which isadapted to receive successive packages as they are discharged from anarticle packaging machine and stack them one upon the other in avertical column. As successive packages are received they are deliveredto an elevator mechanism which raises them up and deposits them on astack supporting means. Successive packages are inserted under thepackages previously deposited on the stack supporting means.

In accordance with the invention, the stacking apparatus, which isadapted to be bolted or otherwise connected to the discharge end of anarticle packaging machine, comprises a bed-plate which is mounted uponthe upper end of a vertically disposed supporting frame. A pair ofsimilar opposed transversely spaced package stacking elements, betweenwhich successive packages are stacked in a column, are secured to andextend upwardly from the rear end of the bed-plate. An elevatingmechanism by which successive packages, delivered to the apparatus fromthe article packaging machine, are raised up between the holdingelements is provided. The elevator mechanism comprises a fiatrectangular platform which is secured to the upper ends of a pair ofvertically disposed rods which are slidably mounted in suitable bushingssecured to the under side of the bed-plate. The lower end of the rodsare adapted to be engaged by a pair of cams which are secured on a camshaft rotatably mounted below the bed-plate. The rods are adapted to bemoved up and down, and with them the elevator platform secured thereto,by the cams as the cam shaft is rotated. The cam shaft is adapted to beconnected to and driven from the power shaft of the associated packagingmachine in timed relation to the discharge conveyor thereof by whichsuccessive packages are delivered from the packaging machine onto theelevator platform of the stacking apparatus. Opposed spring loaded stacksupporting means, which are yieldingiy biased inwardly toward eachother, are provided at each side of the elevator platform. Packagesdelivered onto the elevator platform are raised up thereby between theopposed supporting means to a point slightly thereabove. As a package isbeing moved upwardly past the yieldingly biased supporting means, itforces them outwardly thereby permitting the moving of packages upbeyond the supporting means. As soon as a package has been moved pastthe supporting means the supporting means returns to its inner at restposition. Then as the elevator platform is lowered the package thereonis lowered down onto and held by the supporting means. Each successivepackage, as it is delivered onto and raised up by the elevator platformwill engage the next previously delivered package, which is then restingon the supporting means, raise it up, and assume its place on thesupporting means. In this manner successive packages delivered from thepackaging machine are stacked in a column between the stacking elements.Means are also provided by which packages are urged rearwardly into thestacking elements as they are raised up by the elevator mechanism.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whichis adapted to be associated with a pack- 3,339,425 Patented July 11,1957 aging machine and is operative to automatically stack successivepackages discharged from the packaging machine into a column tofacilitate the handling thereof when packing them into cartons.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of theaforesaid character which is of simple sturdy construction, is veryefficient in operation, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Having stated the principal objects of the invention other and morespecific objects thereof will be apparent from the followingspecification and the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation showing a package stackingapparatus, constructed in accordance with my invention, connected to thedischarge end of a packaging machine;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the package stacking apparatus shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 onFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section taken on the line 44 on FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5--5 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on the line 66 onFIG. 1 showing the package supporting mechanism in normal stacksupporting position;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the package supportingmechanism in the position it is moved to as successive packages areraised up beyond the supporting mechanism by the elevator mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the side frames;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken on the line 99 onFIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary detail section showing an adapter which isremovably mounted on the apparatus to accommodate it for stackingsmaller packages; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a package of the wallet type for whichthe apparatus as illustrated herein is especially adapted for stacking.

Having generally described the construction and operation of thestacking apparatus of the invention it will now be specificallydescribed in connection with the drawing by the use of referencecharacters in which the numeral 1 indicates a horizontally disposedrectangular bed-plate, which is secured to the upper ends of a pluralityof vertically disposed legs 2, and is provided with an annulardown-turned flange 3. Che of the legs 2 is secured to the bed-plate 1 ateach corner thereof, and the fore and aft legs at each side of the bedplate are connected together by a horizontally disposed connecting plate4.

A pair of transversely spaced opposed similar side frames, 5 and 6, aresecured to the bed-plate 1, one adfiacent each side thereof, and extendvertically upwardly therefrom. As shown herein, each of the side frames5 and 6 is formed from a fiat metal sheet, and each comprises ahorizontal base section 7 and a vertical side section 8 which areconnected together at the forward ends thereof by a triangular plate 9.The rear end of the side section 8 is provided with an integralelongated,

relatively narrow co-planar upwardly extending section It), having aninwardly extending flange 11 along the rear edge thereof and anoutwardly extending flange 12 along the forward edge thereof, whichsections 10 constitute stacking elements between which packages areadapted to be stacked one above the other. The side section 8 is alsoprovided with an integral short relatively narrow arcuate section 13which extends rearwardly and outwardly from the rear edge thereof for apurpose to be described hereinafter. The lower end of the inturnedflange 11 terminates at the upper edge of the arcuate section 13, asshown in FIG. 3, to permit the passage of packages thereunder.

The side frame is permanently secured in fixed position to the bed-plate1, adjacent the back side thereof, by bolts 15 which are insertedthrough aligned apertures in the bed-plate 1 and in the base section 7of the frame 5, and the side frame 6 is adjustably secured to thebed-plate 1, adjacent the front side thereof for transverse adjustmentthereon, by bolts 16 which are inserted through a pair of apertures inthe base section 7 of the frame 6 and aligned elongated slots 17 in thebed-plate 1. A wedge shaped spacer 18 is interposed between the basesections 7 of each of the side'frames 5 and 6 and the bed-plate 1 toimpart a slight rearward tilt to the side frames 5 and 6.

An angle bracket 19 is secured to the outer surface of the side sections8 of the side frame- 5 at the upper forward corner thereof, and asimilar angle bracket 20 is similarly secured to the side section 8 ofthe side frame 6. An angle iron bar 21, which is secured to and betweenthe side frames 5 and 6, is fixedly connected, atone end thereof, to thebracket 19 by a bolt 22 which extends through aligned apertures in thebar 21 and bracket 19; and is connected, at the other end thereof, tothe bracket 20 by a bolt 23 which extends through an aperture in thebracket 20 and an elongated slot 24 in the end of the bar 21 therebypermitting transverse adjustment of the side frame 6. The rear ends ofthe side frames 5 and 6 are similarly connected together by a pair ofangle bars 25 and 26, one of which 25 is connected to and between theupper ends of the upwardly extending sections 10 of the side frames, andthe other of which 26 is connected to and between the side sections 8 ofthe side frames at the lower ends of the flanges 11.

An elevator mechanism, generally indicated by the numeral 30, isprovided for raising packages, successively delivered to the apparatusfrom a packaging machine, up

. between the upwardly extending stacking elements 10 of the side frames5 and 6. The elevator mechanism 30 comprises a rectangular platform 31,which is disposed above the bed-plate 1 between the side frames 5 and 6,and onto which packages are successively delivered. The platform 31 issecured to the upper ends of a pair of spaced parallel verticallydisposed rods 32 which are slidably mounted in bushings 33 secured tothe underside of the bed-plate 1. A coiled spring 34 is disposed abouteach of the rods 32 between the bushings 33 and collars 35 secured tothe lower ends of each of the rods 32. The rods 32, and with them theplatform 31, are adapted to be raised up from the normal at restposition by a pair of cams 36 which engage under the sleeves 35, and tobe returned back to their normal at rest lower position by the springs34. The cams 36 are secured to a transversely extending shaft 37 whichis rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 38 car ried by the connectingplates 4. The cams 36 are adapted to raise the rods 32 and platform 31secured thereto at each revolution of the shaft 37, and are soconstructed and arranged as to provide a dwell in the movement of the Vrods and platform in their lowermost positions.

A stack supporting mechanism, generally indicated by the numeral 40,onto which successive packages are deposited as they are raised up bythe elevating mechanism 30, is provided. The supporting mechanism 40comprises a pair of similar opposed seating devices 41 and 42, one ofwhich, 41, is mounted on the side frame 5, and the other of which, 42,is mounted on the side frame 6, and are yieldingly biased inwardlytoward each other. Each of the devices 41 and 42 comprises ahorizontally disposed shaft 43 which is rotatably mounted in a pair ofspaced bearing brackets 44 which are secured to and extend outwardlyfrom the outer surface of one of the side sections 8 of the side frames5 and 6. A plurality of longitudinally spaced similar detents 45 aremounted on and secured to the shaft 43 opposite apertures 46 in the sidesection 8. Each of the detents 45 comprises a hub 47, which is securedon the shaft 43, and a horizontally disposed seating section 43 on whichthe lowermost package of a stack of packages is adapted to be seated.The seating section 48 extends inwardly through the associated aperture46, in the side section 8 of the side frame, with'the inner end thereofconnected to the hub 47 by a downwardly and outwardly inclinedconnecting section 49. The outer end of the seating section 48 isprovided with an upward extension 50 which is adapted to engage theouter surface of a side section 8 and thereby limit the inward movementof a detent 45 through an aperture 46. A coiled compression spring 51,by which the detent is yieldingly biased inwardly through the aperture46, is interposed between the extension 50 and a bracket 52' which issecured to the outersurface of the side section 8 in outwardly spacedrelation thereto. a

The stacking apparatus is provided with a pair of spaced parallelrearwardly extending arms 55 by which the apparatus is adapted to beconnected by bolts 56 to the discharge end of a packaging machinegenerally indicated by the numeral 57 A pair of transversely extendingspaced parallel supports 58 are connected to and between the arms 55. Aplurality of longitudinally extending spaced parallel rails, on whichsuccessive packages delivered from the packaging machine 57, aredelivered to the elevator platform 31, are mounted upon the supports 58.The forward ends of the outermost rails 59 terminate adjacent theforward end of the platform 31 along the sides thereof; and the forwardends of the intermediate rails 60 terminate adjacent the rear endof theplatform 31.

The packaging machine 57 is provided with a conveyor 61 by whichsuccessive packages are discharged therefrom onto the rails 59 and 60.The conveyor 61 is driven from a shaft 62 which in turn is driven by amotor 63 through sprockets 64 and 65, which are secured to the motorshaft 66 and the conveyor drive shaft 62 respectively, and a connectingchain 66. The elevator cam shaft 37 is driven in timed relation to themovement of the conveyor 61 through sprockets 67 and 68, whicharesecured to the elevator cam shaft 37 and the conveyor drive shaft 62respectively, and a connecting chain 69. A chain tightener, whichcomprises a meshing sprocket 70 mounted on a stud 71 carried by an arm72 secured to one of the legs 2, is provided for taking up any slack inthe chain 69.

In operation packages are successively delivered from the packagingmachine 57 onto the rails 59-60 during dwells in the movement of theplatform 31 in its lowermost normal position. As each package isdelivered onto therails 59-60 it moves the previously delivered packagesforwardly the length of one package until the rails are filled withpackages between the rear end of the platform 31 and the discharge endof the conveyor 61, after which each successive package delivered forcesthe foremost package in the line of packages forwardly over the platform31 in position to be engaged by the platform 31 on the neXt upwardmovement thereof. The opposed rearwardly and outwardly extending arcuateextensions 13 cooperate with each other to center the packages .betweenside frames 5 and 6 as the packages are delivered therebetween. A pairof vertically disposed elongated rectangular plates 75 which are securedto the cross bar 21 in spaced parallel relation toeach other and extenddownwardly therefrom, are provided to limit the forward movement of thepackages and properly position 'them over the platform 31.

As the packages are moved upwardly on the platform 31 between theseating devices 41 and 42 they engage the inclined sections 49 of thedetents 45 and force them outwardly through the apertures 46 against theresistance of the springs 51. The platform 31 raises each package upbeyond the detents 45 after which the detents are returned to theirnormal positions by the springs 51. Then as the platform 31 is loweredit deposits the package thereon on the seating sections 48 of thedetents 45. As

successive packages are raised up on the platform 31 they engage thepackage previously deposited on the seating sections 48 and raise it andthe packages thereabove upwardly along with it, and then lower them alldownwardly until the package on the platform is deposited on the seatingsections 48. As successive packages are raised up by the platform theyare stacked in a vertical column between the stacking elements with therear sides thereon in engagement with the inturned flanges 11 of thestacking elements.

In order to insure the even stacking of the packages, one above theother, the stacking element 10', which extends upwardly from the sideframe 6, is provided with a resiliently mounted elongated narrow strip76 which is parallel thereto and coextensive therewith, and is spacedoutwardly from the inner surface of the element 16. The strip 76 issecured to the inner ends of a plurality of bolts 77 which are slidablymounted in bushings 78 secured to the outer surface of the element 10'.Coiled springs 79, which are disposed about the bolts 77 between thestrip 76 and the inner surface of the stacking element 10', yieldinglybias the strip 76 toward the opposed stacking element 10. The strip 76will therefore yieldingly force the far sides of the packages againstthe inner surface of the stacking element 10. The position of the strip75 with respect to the element 10' and the pressure exerted therebyunder the influence of the spring 79 may be adjusted by means of nuts 80threaded onto the free ends of the bolts 77.

When it is desired to adapt the apparatus for stacking smaller packagesof the same configuration but of lesser length and width, the bolts 16and 23 are loosened and the side frame 6 moved towards the side frame 5in accordance with the width of the smaller packages. And in order toproperly position the smaller packages over the platform 31 an adapter81 is removably secured to the upper end of each of the stop plates 75by set screws 82.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in this art thatI have provided a very simple and effective apparatus for accomplishingthe objects of the invention.

It is to be understood that I am not limited to the specificconstruction shown and described herein as various modifications may bemade therein within the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A stacking apparatus of the character described by which successivepackages delivered thereto from a packaging machine are stacked one uponthe other in a vertical column, said apparatus comprising: a flatrectangular horizontally disposed bed-plate which is mounted upon theupper end of a vertically disposed supporting means, a pair of opposedparallel transversely spaced similar side frames which are secured tosaid bed-plate and extend upwardly therefrom; a pair of opposed similarpackage stacking elements which are secured to and extend upwardly fromeach of said side frames; a pair of opposed horizontally disposedsimilar stack supporting devices one of which is pivotally mounted oneach of said side frames and is yieldingly biased outwardly from theinner surface thereof; a vertically reciprocal elevator mechanism bywhich successive packages delivered thereto are raised up beyond saidsupporting means between said stacking elements and are then loweredonto said supporting means; and means by which successive packages aredelivered to said elevator mechanism; each of said stack supportingdevices comprising a horizontally disposed shaft which is secured to theouter surface of each of said side frames, and a plurality ofhorizontally spaced detents which are mounted on said shafts; each ofsaid detents comprising, a hub which is rotatably mounted on said shaft,a horizontal section which is disposed above said hub and extendsinwardly through an aperture in the said side frames, a downwardly andoutwardly inclined cam surface which is connected between the inner endof said horizontal section and said hub, spring means by which saiddetent is yieldingly biased outwardly through said aperture, and a stopby which the inward move ment of said detent through said aperture islimited; and said elevator mechanism comprising a platform which isdisposed above said bed-plate between said side frames in alignment withthe said detent means mounted on said side frames, said platform beingsecured to the upper ends of a pair of transversely spaced verticallydisposed rods which extend upwardly through said bed-plate and areslidably mounted in a pair of guides secured to and extending downwardlyfrom said bed-plate, a transversely disposed shaft which is rotatablymounted in said supporting frame, a pair of cams secured on said shaftin position to engage the lower ends of said rods, said cams beingoperative upon the rotation of said shaft to raise and lower said rodsand the said platform secured thereto with a dwell in the movementthereof at the lower limit of movement thereof, and means by which saidshaft is adapted to be rotated in timed relation to the operation of apackaging machine with which the stacking apparatus is associated.

2. A stacking apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which one of said sideframes is adjustably secured to said bedplate for lateral adjustmentthereof with respect to the other of said side frames to accommodatesaid apparatus for stacking different width packages.

3. A stacking apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which stop means isprovided by which the inward movement of successive packages deliveredto said elevator mechanism is limited.

4. A stacking mechanism as defined by claim 3 in which said stop meansis mounted upon a transversely extending bar which is secured to andbetween the forward ends of said side plates.

5. A stacking apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which said stackingelements are adapted to engage the side and rear edges of packagesdelivered therebetween by said elevator mechanism.

6. A stacking apparatus as defined by claim 5 in which one of saidstacking elements is provided with a resiliently mounted verticallydisposed elongated strip which is adapted to yieldingly engage one sideedge of packages disposed between said elements and force the other sideedge of the said packages disposed between said elements into engagementwith the other of said elements.

7. A stacking apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which said side framesare provided with rearwardly and outwardly extending arcuate extensionswhich cooperate with each other to center successive packages withrespect to said side frames as the said packages are delivered to saidelevator mechanism from an associated packaging machine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 548,055 10/1895 Hewitt 21461,516,770 11/1924 Grunlee 2146 2,376,176 5/1945 Neja 2146 3,013,36912/1961 Wilson et al. 214-6 3,030,867 4/1962 Wright 2146 FOREIGN PATENTS578,700 6/ 1959 Canada.

372,034 5/ 1932 Great Britain.

931,918 7/ 1963 Great Britain.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

J. E. OLDS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A STACKING APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED BY WHICH SUCCESSIVEPACKAGES DELIVERED THERETO FROM A PACKAGING MACHINE ARE STACKED ONE UPONTHE OTHER IN A VERTICAL COLUMNS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: A FLATRECTANGULAR HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BED-PLATE WHICH IS MOUNTED UPON THEUPPER END OF A VERTICALLY DISPOSED SUPPORTING MEANS, A PAIR OF OPPOSEDPARALLEL TRANSVERSELY SPACED SIMILAR SIDE FRAMES WHICH ARE SECURED TOSAID BED-PLATE AND EXTEND UPWARDLY THEREFROM; A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIMILARPACKAGE STACKING ELEMENTS WHICH ARE SECURED TO AND EXTEND UPWARDLY FROMEACH OF SAID SIDE FRAMES; A PAIR OF OPPOSED HORIZONTALLY DISPOSEDSIMILAR STACK SUPPORTING DEVICES ONE OF WHICH IS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ONEACH OF SAID SIDE FRAMES AND IS YIELDINGLY BIASED OUTWARDLY FROM THEINNER SURFACE THEREOF, A VERTICALLY RECIPROCAL ELEVATOR MECHANISM BYWHICH SUCCESSIVE PACKAGES DELIVERED THERETO ARE RAISED UP BEYOND SAIDSUPPORTED MEANS BETWEEN SAID STACKING ELEMENTS AND ARE THEN LOWERED ONTOSAID SUPPORTING MEANS; AND MEANS BY WHICH SUCCESSIVE PACKAGES AREDELIVERED TO SAID ELEVATOR MECHANISM; EACH OF SAID STACK SUPPORTINGDEVICES COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SHAFT WHICH IS SECURED TO THEOUTER SURFACE OF EACH OF SAID SIDE FRAMES, AND A PLURALITY OFHORIZONTALLY SPACED DETENTS WHICH ARE MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFTS; EACH OFSAID DETENTS COMPRISING, A HUB WHICH IS DISPOSED ABOVE SAID SHAFT, AHORIZONTAL SECTION WHICH IS DISPOSED ABOVE SAID HUB AND EXTENDS INWARDLYTHROUGH AN APERTURE IN THE SAID SIDE FRAMES, A DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLYINCLINED CAM SURFACE WHICH IS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE INNER END OF SAIDHORIZONTAL SECTION AND SAID HUB, SPRING MEANS BY WHICH SAID DETENT ISYIELDINGLY BIASED OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID APERTURE, AND A STOP BY WHICHTHE INWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID DETENT THROUGH SAID APERTURE IS LIMITED; ANDSAID ELEVATOR MECHANISM COMPRISING A PLATFORM WHICH IS DISPOSED ABOVESAID BED-PLATE BETWEEN SAID SIDE FRAMES IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SAIDDETENT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SIDE FRAMES, SAID PLATFORM BEING SECURED TOTHE UPPER ENDS OF A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED VERTICALLY DISPOSED RODSWHICH EXTEND UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID BED-PLATE AND ARE SLIDABLY MOUNTED INA PAIR OF GUIDES SECURED TO AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAIDBED-PLATE, A TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED SHAFT WHICH IS ROTATABLY MOUNTED INSAID SUPPORTING FRAME, A PAIR OF CAMS SECURED ON SAID SHAFT IN POSITIONTO ENGAGE THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID RODS, SAID CAMS BEING OPERATIVE UPONTHE ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT TO RAISE AND LOWER SAID RODS AND THE SAIDPLATFORM SECURED THERETO WITH A DWELL IN THE MOVEMENT THEREOF AT THELOWER LIMIT OF MOVEMENT THEREOF, AND MEANS BY WHICH SAID SHAFT ISADAPTED TO BE ROTATED IN TIMED RELATION TO THE OPERATION OF A PACKAGINGMACHINE WITH WHICH THE STACKING APPARATUS IS ASSOCIATED.